I am the Way, the Truth and the Life
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me. (John 14:6, KJV)
This statement is one of Jesus’ seven I AM declarations in the Gospel of John. Let’s explore the key practical meanings of this text. First, the meaning of the individual declarations—the Way, the Truth, and the Life. And finally, the relationship between them.
As always, context is crucial to accurately interpret biblical passages. What prompted Jesus to make this statement? In the prior chapter, Jesus had just finished discussing His departure. In the early verses of John 14, He tells the disciples He is going to prepare a place for them. In verse 4, He explicitly says they know where He is going and the way to get there. However, Thomas immediately objects, saying they neither know where He is going nor the way.
In response to Thomas’ question, Jesus says, “I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me”. He explains both where He is going—to the Father, not a physical location—and how to get there—through Himself.
It becomes clear that the term “Way” here is metaphorical. It represents a road, path, or journey leading to a destination. The crucial aspect of understanding Jesus as the Way is recognizing that the destination is not a physical place, not even heaven, but God the Father Himself. Jesus is saying that no one can come to God except through Him. He is the Mediator whose death and resurrection paved the way for humanity to access the Father.
The writer of Hebrews affirms this in Hebrews 10:19-20:
“Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh” (Hebrews 10:19-20, KJV).
This Way is both new and living, created through Jesus’ death and resurrection.
By saying, “I am the Way,” Jesus answers Thomas’ second request: to know the way. But Thomas’ first request—“Where?”—also finds resolution in Jesus’ next declarations: “I am the Truth” and “I am the Life.”
When Jesus says, “I am the Truth,” what truth does He mean? Jesus is the perfect revelation of the Father. He is the visible manifestation of the invisible God, the expression of God’s invisible realities. If you want to know how God thinks, feels, or responds to circumstances, simply observe how Jesus lived.
Finally, Jesus declares that He is “the Life.” The connection between Life and the Way and the Truth may not be immediately obvious, but it becomes clearer when we focus on the relationship between Jesus and the Father, and by extension, our relationship with the Father through Jesus. Jesus is the Way to approach the Father, the Truth that reveals the Father, and the Life that we receive from the Father. Eternal life is a gift from the Father, given through Jesus. Note that Jesus does not merely give life—He is life. To have Jesus is to have God’s life—its essence and its expressions.
Praise the Lord for our wonderful Savior!
Meditate
What is the meaning of the Way, the Truth, and the Life as Jesus declares them here?
Apply the Word
In Christ, you have come to the Father, you know Him, and you have His life within you. Let these truths shape your mind and heart as you live today.
Pray
Thank the Father for the wonderful blessings of giving us Jesus. Ask Him to help you live daily in the truth of this passage.
Recommended Read
- I am the Bread of Life
- The Meaning of “I am the Way”
- I AM That I AM
- Jesus the I AM That I AM
- I Am Alpha and Omega
- All Deshen Daily Devotionals
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